A generic term for holders for temporarily securing a container sized to hold an individualized serving of a beverage is “cup holders.” While the term “cup holder” implies a holder for cups, over time the term “cup holder” has been used to refer to any holder that secures a broad range of individual serving beverage containers, such as cans or bottles having therein soda or juices, to cups of all sizes containing both hot and cold liquids.
Cup holders are ubiquitous. They are found in numerous items, such as cars, boats, train cars, airplanes and even furniture. There is even evidence that the availability, placement, and style of cup holders in these items can lead to a competitive advantage. For example, a well-designed boat may not sell because it lacks cup holders, or the installed cup holders are not in desirable locations. Conversely, a cup holder, or the placement of cup holders, may seal the item's sale.
Over the years, cup holders of various styles have been designed to attract buyers for the items that have them. For example, cup holders have been designed that adjust in size to accommodate a broader range of sizes and shapes of containers than might otherwise been held by cup holders of fixed dimensions. Other cup holders have been designed that retract so they can be concealed when not in use.
As the cup holder has become such a central focus for purchasers of items that incorporate them, designers are constantly seeking cup holders that incorporate features that will entice customers to purchase the item into which it is placed. What is needed in the art is a cup holder that attracts customers in a way previous cup holders have not.